Benihana was founded in 1964 by Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki, father of electro house musician Steve Aoki (Shouts to Dim Mak Records). Rocky “worked seven days a week selling ice cream in New York City and studied restaurant management at night.”¹ He wanted to give American diners something different and believed seating them at communal tables, cooking the food in the Teppanyaki (hibachi) style with highly entertaining chefs would be the way to go.

There are certainly more expensive, more famous and more exclusive restaurants and eateries out there. Why is this everyday Japanese restaurant chain such a fixture in rap? Is it the fact they serve only the finest of crab meats? Is it their Express Lunch starting at $7? Is it their reverence for Sake etiquette? One thing we can say for certain, the onion volcano almost certainly plays a prominent role in this love affair. Hit the jump and let us explore why rap has such a lady boner for Beni Han Han.

Good For Punchlines

The earliest known reference to Benihana is as hotly a debated topic as “Who shot Tupac?” and “Why didn’t Soulja Boy win a Grammy for Zan With That Lean?” Though Lord Finesse technically first mentions Benihana in his 1995 song “No Gimmicks,” DJ Quik refers to Benihana in his 1998 song that is all about a time period in 1991. Mindfuckery, I know. However, with Benihana becoming ubiquitous due to franchising and chefs wielding knives, there is plenty for rappers to reference.

Beastie Boys – Putting Shame In Your Game
I’m the Benihana chef on the SP12
I chop the fuck out the beats left on the shelf

Four highly respected, Golden Era of Hip Hop icons name drop the restaurant; what great marketing. It should be noted that up until this point no one has explicitly stated that they have eaten at Benihana. This trend would continue. Where as the first punchlines involving Benihana were about a cutting/chopping and doing bodily harm, later uses of its name would draw on the obvious steak/beef and cooking/manufacturing drug aspects. Who better than Mr. Cam’ron and Mr. Snowman to do the honors?

Great for Nefarious Meetings

Much like in Beverly Hills Ninja, Benihana is a perfect place to meet with your gang to discuss illicit activities and nefarious plans of actions. It gets loud at peak times with the clashing of Chef utensils, fires (and the subsequent screams of frightened toddlers) and conversation so outsiders/snitches can’t eavesdrop but it’s also unlikely for there to be inconspicuous surveillance and bugs.

Signifier of Wealth

Urban poets often flaunt the fact they eat regularly at Benihana. With prices ranging for dinner from $15 to $50… it doesn’t really make too much sense. But, time and time again, rappers juxtapose Benihana with claims of wealth.

Lying Ass Rappers

It should be noted that not only did I scour the menu one item at a time, but I also called the two Benihana restaurants closest to me (Dulles & Bethesda, Virginia) and the one in Beverly Hills, CA to confirm that the restaurant in no way, shape or form has wontons. Big Sean is a lying rhyme opportunist who deserved to be served by The Lame.

Moo Goo Gai Pan is an American-ized version of a Cantonese/Chinese dish. Mac Dre, you do know that although all Orientals look alike their cuisine is distinct? Oh, you didn’t? Wow. You are so racist. I also doubt the validity of your claim that you are capable of “speaking Japan.”

So… Why Beni?

I can’t think of another restaurant with as many name drops and references. Nobu? No, boo. Sue’s Rendezvous? Uh uh. Delmonico’s? Nah. Mr. Chow’s? Nope. Morton’s Steakhouse? Not even close (though I did have a co-worker run into Young Jeezy there in Atlanta.) If you notice who name drops Benihana, and where they are in their career, you’ll notice a motif: Middle-Class Luxury.

None of these rappers are at a Kanye West, Eminem, Jay-Z level of wealth, which means that amongst their low-income level peers Benihana is like a 5-Star restaurant. Though not necessarily stunting, these rappers are letting us know that they now have enough money to pay $100 or more for a meal… everyday if they so choose. However, it goes way beyond that. For many of them, Benihana holds a place in their heart that equates to a simpler, more pleasant time in their life:

That time where their grind was starting to pay off, and, all of a sudden, they have the financial means to start buying/getting the things they want, where they can take care of the people in their circle. Imagine being able to take your man’s and them to Benihana, getting your own table and acting a fool. Or a nice evening void of paparazzi with no disturbances:

Benihana is not highfalutin, though rappers treat it as such. In reality, the restaurant acts as the training wheels on a rapper’s boastful bars bicycle. It is many rappers’ first interaction with “elegance.” Since a majority of artists stay in the middle of the pack instead of achieving Janye status, Benihana serves as their go-to recognizable name drop. Benihana has that faux luxury swag: Impressive to those of little means, while low-class to those with even a modicum of affluence.

What’s the verdict from you guys? Is Benihana worth the praise? Ever taken a breezy there? Is it your favorite Japanese Steakhouse? Ever tried to do an Onion Volcano at home? If you could only have one restaurant’s food for the rest of your life what would it be? Leave many comments below.

Bauce, you crazy for this one. I’d like to say something witty but I’m too overwhelmed by how great this turned out.

http://twitter.com/foxxyjewell Teena’s Daughter.

This is fucking incredible. I don’t know how you do this, man.

http://twitter.com/foxxyjewell Teena’s Daughter.

This is fucking incredible. I don’t know how you do this, man.

De La Trolls

As much as I’ve hated on some of your lamer selections (of which I am still convinced you get paid for), this was a good read. Strong work, breaux.

Anonymous

Thanks, mayne, I appreciate that. And might I say you have one of the best anon user names? Trust me, I wish I got paid for posting stuff then my bank account wouldn’t be so measly.

De La Trolls

As much as I’ve hated on some of your lamer selections (of which I am still convinced you get paid for), this was a good read. Strong work, breaux.

http://mostlyjunkfood.com marc (mostlyjunkfood.com)

speechless. even got the rainbow font in….datsmydog

CzarinaBianca

Amazing. I like the social context behind it, plus tidbits of information, like Aoki being heir to this!! Now I’m craving me some Benihana. Damn, how influential.

http://www.GeriDFyniz.com Geri D’Fyniz

The craziest thing about this is the food isn’t even all that great. I mean it’s ok, but they closed the Benihanna where I’m from in Chicago and I’d pretty much prefer Ron of Japan any day. Not to mention you wouldn’t hear me make a song about what I eat unless I did it Dale Firebird style and went hunting for it. S/O to Wax.

http://twitter.com/DJBAHLER DJ Bahler

Wow this is one extremely hilarious and thorough post. You even included a picture of me and cousins at our nefarious meetings.

Anonymous

Real Talk, I appreciate all of you reading this. I know it’s not the most interesting topic or anything, but I hope I entertained you guys. I really am grateful you spent the 5-10 minutes reading this, I know that’s an eternity to stay on one page on the Internet now a days. Thanks from the bottom of my ♥.

Kasgre01

Great article! A personal favorite: “No more 7-11 turf burrito chimmy-chonga’s /
Now we some Timers, regular customers at Benihana’s” E-40

picaro

More “signifier of wealth”: Mac Dre, Genie of the Lamp:
My voice is an instrument, I’m kind of like a trumpet

They try to figure out, my estimated wealth

I’m a hot item, they can’t keep me on the shelf

Stores restock me – man, whores be jock-ing

Benihana waitresses, they pour me sake”

Steven

“It’s a Shame” by Kool G rap (1993) is an earlier reference than Lord Finesse’s reference.

BauceSauce

4, 5, 6 album was 1995 though. Same time frame. I’ll add the lyric though. Thanks!

johnblacksad

EXTRA GARLIC BUTTER!!!!

Guest

you missed 2 CHAAINZ – ‘EXTRA GARLIC BUTTER I GOT BENIHANA ISSUES’

BauceSauce

This was written way before that.
Sent from my mobile device; please excuse the brevity.

reggae809

haha really funny topic never noticed that before about hiphop shouting out benihanas so much, I guess whats so cool about that restaurant is its just an interesting experience to watch the chef throwing around knives and cook in front of you, most Asian culture really takes eating food seriously, Chinese people read restaurant menus like we read porn mags and spend like 20 minutes asking the waiter about every dish its mad annoying I want to eat now not wait for my Chinese friends to finish “studying” a damn menu, and Japanese people good lord its some kind of adult picky eating syndrome its like OCD, they can literally taste the difference if the meat was cut horizontally or vertically, for us Americans with the exception of some fat kids food is just something you stuff down your throat 3 times a day without giving it a lot of thought or entertainment value, I think what makes benihana so special is its the only restaurant we have where its actually interesting to watch the food being made and be a part of the process of actually enjoying food and food culture